Cirali Hotel

I still think about the simple happiness of staying here. We woke to the smell of citrus and herbs in our own little house, surrounded by orange groves, roses, a hammock, and chickens wandering freely. The quiet guesthouses were a welcome change from noisy hotels. We hiked the trails to Olympos and Chimera, then came back each evening to the huge, empty beach just five minutes away. On our last day, the rain passed and a rainbow appeared to send us off. Thank you.

The pool was the main reason I’d come back. It was clean and not too busy, and our three children, all under 11, had a great time. Staff were friendly and helpful, and arranged extra bedding when we asked. Our bungalow was clean, with good air conditioning and a modern, clean bathroom. There were ants around, which you’d expect with this kind of garden accommodation. Some of the finishes were basic, but for the price the room was better than I expected. The private balcony opened onto the garden, among orange and lime trees, friendly chickens, and cats. Breakfast was a typical Turkish spread of salad, fruit, cheese, eggs, bread, sausage, and cereal. You could order omelettes too. The coffee and tea were basic. The location was handy, about five minutes’ walk to the main shops and a few more to the beach. One thing to know if you’re booking for three children: one bed may be a couch in the kitchen. Its air conditioning comes from the bedroom system, which kept the whole place cool enough, though it was hot when we first arrived.

We all enjoyed the relaxed atmosphere at the Cirali Hotel, and I’m grateful to the management. Gio, the manager, was very helpful, and the buffet breakfasts were healthy. Our rooms were set around a lovely, clean, well-kept pool and gardens. There were 12 of us, from the grandparents down to a one-year-old. One very hot day I walked past the large fig tree, and a staff member spotted a ripe fig and climbed up to get it. He kindly gave it to me instead of keeping it for himself. Small gestures like that make special memories.

The rooms are okay, but Wi-Fi doesn’t reach most of them, so you have to head to the dining deck to get online. Even so, I’d still give it five stars. Cihan and the rest of the staff were superb, the atmosphere was relaxing, and the food was excellent. Breakfast and dinner were both so good. The eating area under the trees, on a deck, has a lovely laid-back feel. The positives were strong enough that the downsides didn’t bring my rating below 5/5. That’s what matters to me.